


Dancing The Night Away

by Stories_can_make_us_fly



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Dancing, Evan "Buck" Buckley Needs A Hug, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stories_can_make_us_fly/pseuds/Stories_can_make_us_fly
Summary: Their last call has Buck feeling down. Luckily, Eddie is there for him.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 12
Kudos: 213





	Dancing The Night Away

**Author's Note:**

> So, the response to my last story was so amazing. Really, I can't thank all of you enough for all the comments and kudos.  
> I originally wanted to write a different story next, but then I had the idea for this one and well, here it is.  
> I hope you guys like it and let me know what you think!

**Dancing The Night Away**

  
  


The ride back is silent. Buck keeps staring at his fists. Wills his hands to stop from shaking. The others shoot him worried glances every once in a while. But he refuses to look at them. Knows when he sees the worry, the sympathy, in their eyes, he won't be able to hold it together. Why does this affect him so much? It had been a routine call. A minor fire in an apartment building, more smoke than fire really. Some had panicked and hurt themselves on the way out, but nothing serious. A few scrapes and bruises. Except an elderly woman on the top floor. She had taken a fall in her living room and by the time they had reached her, she had inhaled a lot of smoke. Buck can't get her face out of his head. How calm and at peace she had looked the entire way down the stairs, her frail body strapped to the gurney and an oxygen mask pressed to her face. When they had reached the sidewalk, she had told them to leave her be.

The scene replays in his head over and over again.

_"Ma'am, we need to get you to a hospital. You may have sustained internal injuries when you fell and you're not getting enough air into your lungs."_

_The woman smiles at Hen._

_"I know, love, but my time has come. I can feel it. And I don't want to leave this earth being stuck in a hospital bed."_

_She closes her eyes and turns her head towards the sun._

_"Isn't it the most precious thing in the world to feel the wind and the sun on your face?"_

_Buck stands at her side and exchanges a look with Hen before he says, "How about we get you to the hospital and after you get better you can enjoy the sunshine some more?" He flashes her a charming grin. "I'll take you to_ _the_ _park myself and we can make a day of it. How does that sound?"_

_Her answering laugh quickly turns into a coughing fit. It takes some time before she gets her breath back. Patting his hand, she manages to get out, "You are a sweet boy, my dear. Once upon a time, I might have taken you up on it. We would've danced the night away, let me tell you."_

_Her watery blue eyes are fixed on him and Buck can't help but like her. There is something about her that makes him feel warm inside. She's the kind of grandma he always wished for as a kid. Kind, loving, smelling faintly of perfume and freshly baked pie. He takes her hand and squeezes it._

_"It's a date then. You and me, picnic and dancing. But first you have to go to the hospital."_

_She shakes her head with a smile._

_"No, my dear. I went as far as I can go. Here, I can see the trees, the sky, and the sun." She closes her eyes again. "My Harold is waiting for me. I kept him waiting long enough."_

She had died holding his hand, the sun shining on her face. Buck feels tears pricking at his eyes. He can't understand why this hits him so much. He had seen people die before. He should be used to it by now, right? And she had wanted to go. It's not like she had suddenly been ripped from her life. She had left in peace with herself and the world, happy to be reunited with her husband. So why? Why does he feel like crying and screaming? Why does he feel like he's about to shatter into pieces?

Next to him, Eddie presses a little closer and slips a hand on his thigh. Buck closes his eyes and tries to focus on that. The warmth that sinks into him from the touch.

Buck sits in front of his locker with his head in his hand and his eyes closed. His shift is long over, he can go home. Crawl into his bed and sleep. And yet, he doesn't have the energy to move.

A hand lands on his shoulder. He doesn't have to look up to know it's Eddie's.

"Come on, Buck," he says gently.

Buck complies wordlessly. When he doesn't know what to do, when he needs someone to just be there for him, he can always count on Eddie to have his back. To pick him up when he hasn't the strength to do it himself.

It isn't until they sit in Eddie's truck, driving for twenty minutes, that Buck realizes that his friend is neither bringing him home nor to his place.

"Where are we going?"

Eddie just smiles and says, "Wait and see."

Buck doesn't ask any more questions. He trusts Eddie. To the end of the earth and back. He leans his head against the cool window of the car and waits until they reach their destination.

Half an hour later, Eddie pulls to a stop. Buck must have fallen asleep for he startles awake when the engine turns off.

Rubbing at his eyes, he looks around and sees … nothing. They're in the middle of nowhere and it's pitch black. Or as black as it can be near a big city like Los Angeles.

"You know, if I didn't know better, I would think you're an axe murderer who's gonna chop me up and bury my remains in the woods."

Eddie rolls his eyes at him.

"Luckily, you do know better. And just so you know, you're watching too many horror movies."

Buck shrugs, but doesn't argue. Eddie has a point. Instead, he asks, "Why did you bring me here?"

"To show you something."

Eddie gets out of the car and Buck follows him. They hike up a short trail through the underbrush before Eddie stops abruptly. Buck nearly knocks into him. He grabs his friend by the shoulders to get his balance back.

Eddie shoots him a smile and takes a step to the side.

They are at the edge of a cliff. The city stretches out in front of them. Miles and miles of radiant lights. And above them the moon and the stars, competing with the human made lights on the ground.

It's beautiful. Simple as that. Heart-stopping and amazing.

Eddie steps closer to him and Buck can feel his breath ghosting over his neck as he whispers, "I wanted you to see that, even on the dark days, there's still so much beauty and light out there."

Warmth spreads through Buck's body and he feels some of the sadness fall away from him. He leans back on instinct, his body seeking more of the protection and love that being near his best friend brings him.

Eddie wraps his arms around him.

"Today wasn't your fault. You know that, right? She wanted to go. No one could have saved her."

Buck closes his eyes and holds onto the strong arms surrounding him.

"I know. Still hurts."

He turns in Eddie's embrace and presses his face into his shoulder. He feels the tears he hadn't cried threatening to fall.

"I've got you," Eddie whispers and presses a kiss to the side of his head.

They stay like that for a long time. Buck crying silently, Eddie whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Both of them swaying slightly as if dancing to a song only they can hear.

"Thanks," Buck mumbles into the small space between them after his tears have dried and he feels a little more like himself again.

"That's what best friends are for."

"Is that what we are? I mean, is that all that we are?" Buck has the courage to ask under the cover of darkness, his face pressed into the crook of Eddie's neck.

Eddie tilts his head so that he can look Buck in the eyes.

"We are so much more, querido."

They kiss softly with the city at their feet and the moon above them. It's sweet and full of love and promises. It tastes of home and happiness. Of a future where Buck is never left alone again. Of a lifetime side by side. Dancing the night away together.


End file.
